Health, Education, Social Protection News & Notes 22/2012

Health, Education, Social Protection News & Notes 22/2012
A bi-weekly newsletter supported by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit)

14 October 2012
You can download back issues (2005 - 2012) of this newsletter at: http://german-practice-collection.org/en/links/newsletters/hesp-news-and-notes or search all issues there with:
Table of Contents: BOOKS ................................................................................ 4

World Development Report 2013: Jobs .................................................................................. 4 Regional Equity Watch 2012: Assessing Progress Towards Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa........................................................................................................................ 4 Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge ..................................... 4 The Health System Assessment Approach: A How-To Manual.............................................. 5
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS .................................................... 5

Global Health.............................................................................................................. 5
Depression: A Global Crisis .................................................................................................... 5 Depression: A Global Public Health Concern ......................................................................... 5
HIV - AIDS - STI ......................................................................................................... 6

The Nuts and Bolts of Implementing HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Clinical Settings.................................................................................................................................... 6 Assessment of the Integration of PMTCT within MNCH Services at Health Facilities in Tanzania.................................................................................................................................. 6 Predictors of mortality among children on Antiretroviral Therapy at a referral hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: A retrospective follow up study ............................................................... 6 Malaria and helminthic co-infection among HIV-positive pregnant women: Prevalence and effects of antiretroviral therapy ................................................................................................ 7 The Catholic Church versus HIV/AIDS in Africa ..................................................................... 7 UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work ...................................................................... 8
Sexual & Reproductive Health .................................................................................... 8

Expanding access to medical abortion: Perspectives of women and providers in developing countries .................................................................................................................................. 8 The Need for Reproductive Health Education in Schools in Egypt......................................... 8 When Technology and Tradition Collide: From Gender Bias to Sex Selection ...................... 9
Maternal & Child Health.............................................................................................. 9

UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children: Commissioners Report...................................................................................................................................... 9 Improving Maternal Mortality and Other Aspects of Womens Health .................................... 9 Community Discussion Guide for Maternal and Newborn Health......................................... 10 Serious and Life-Threatening Pregnancy-Related Infections: Opportunities to Reduce the Global Burden ....................................................................................................................... 10 Reducing Neonatal Deaths in South Africa: Are we there yet, and what can be done?....... 10 Antibiotic prescribing practice in management of cough and/or diarrhoea in Moshi Municipality, Northern Tanzania: cross-sectional descriptive study...................................... 11 Supporting efforts to end obstetric fistula.............................................................................. 11
Malaria ..................................................................................................................... 11
Independent Evaluation of the Affordable Medicines Facility - malaria (AMFm) Phase 1.... 11 Malaria plan under scrutiny: Lack of data and donor uncertainty leave public-health experiment on the rocks ........................................................................................................ 12
HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 1
New Insights into Acquisition, Boosting, and Longevity of Immunity to Malaria in Pregnant Women .................................................................................................................................. 12 Assessment of the Molecular Marker of Plasmodium falciparum Chloroquine Resistance (Pfcrt) in Senegal after Several Years of Chloroquine Withdrawal ....................................... 13 The global pipeline of new medicines for the control and elimination of malaria.................. 13 Mobiles for Malaria ................................................................................................................ 13
Tuberculosis ............................................................................................................. 14
MDR-TB Planning Toolkit...................................................................................................... 14 Implementation of Xpert MTB/RIF for routine point-of-care diagnosis of tuberculosis at the primary care level .................................................................................................................. 14
Other Infectious Diseases......................................................................................... 14

Combating Neglected Diseases ............................................................................................ 14 Review of Two Decades of Cholera Diagnostics How Far Have We Really Come?......... 15 Effects of Short-Course Oral Corticosteroid Therapy in Early Dengue Infection in Vietnamese Patients: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial........................................... 15 Costs of Illness Due to Cholera, Costs of Immunization and Cost-Effectiveness of an Oral Cholera Mass Vaccination Campaign in Zanzibar ................................................................ 15
Non-communicable Diseases ................................................................................... 16

Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 20132020....................................................................................................................................... 16 Measuring progress on NCDs: one goal and five targets ..................................................... 16
Food & Nutrition........................................................................................................ 16

The State of Food Insecurity in the World - 2012.................................................................. 16 Global Hunger Index 2012 .................................................................................................... 17
Essential Medicines .................................................................................................. 17

Medicines for the World......................................................................................................... 17 Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines List for South Africa.................... 17
Social Protection....................................................................................................... 18
Social protection for food security ......................................................................................... 18 Social Policies in Samoa ....................................................................................................... 18
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene..................................................................................... 18

European Union Development Assistance for Drinking Water Supply and Basic Sanitation in Sub-Saharan Countries......................................................................................................... 18 The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security Issue ........................................... 19 Science-Policy Bridges over Troubled Waters...................................................................... 19
Human Resources.................................................................................................... 19
iHRIS Retain: Cost Health Worker Retention Interventions.................................................. 19
Health Systems & Research ..................................................................................... 20

Call for Global Leadership..................................................................................................... 20 Hidden costs: The direct and indirect impact of user fees on access to malaria treatment and primary care in Mali ........................................................................................................ 20 Indicators for Measuring Universal Health Coverage: A Five-Country Analysis................... 20
Information & Communication Technology ............................................................... 21

State of Broadband 2012: Achieving Digital Inclusion For All............................................... 21 Optimizing Network Connectivity for Mobile Health Technologies in sub-Saharan Africa.... 21 Bigger Cities, Smaller Screens: Urbanization, Mobile Phones, and Digital Media Trends in Africa ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Harm Reduction & Drug Use .................................................................................... 22

Women And Drug Use in Malaysia (WADUM)...................................................................... 22 Opiate substitution treatment and HIV transmission in people who inject drugs: systematic review and meta-analysis...................................................................................................... 22 The alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT): validation of a Nepali version for the detection of alcohol use disorders and hazardous drinking in medical settings ................... 23 Risking enchantment: how are we to view the smoking person?........................................ 23
Millennium Development Goals ................................................................................ 23

Aid Effectiveness in the Health Sector: Progress and Lessons ............................................ 23 Rural Women and the Millennium Development Goals ........................................................ 24 Health in the Post-2015 Development Agenda ..................................................................... 24
Development Assistance .......................................................................................... 24

Aid Effectiveness in the Health Sector .................................................................................. 24 Creating a Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation................................ 25
Bypass or Engage? Explaining Donor Delivery Tactics in Foreign Aid Allocation................ 25 Aid Effectiveness in Rwanda: Who Benefits? ....................................................................... 25 Regulation of Foreign Aid in Selected Countries 2011/2012 ................................................ 26 ODI Annual Report 2011-2012: impact and priorities ........................................................... 26
Others ...................................................................................................................... 26
Management of healthcare waste: developments in Southeast Asia in the twenty-first century................................................................................................................................... 26 Developing a National Mental Health Policy: A Case Study from Uganda ........................... 27 Antibiotic Therapy as Single Treatment of Acute Appendicitis ............................................. 27
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES ............................................ 27

Patent Opposition Database ................................................................................................. 27 mSupply pharmaceutical inventory control software version 3.11 ........................................ 28 Bulletin of the World Health Organization - Vol. 90, Nr. 10, October 2012, 713-792............ 28 South African Medical Journal Vol. 102 No. 10; 2012 .......................................................... 28 2012 Aid Transparency Index ............................................................................................... 28 Procurement & Supply Management (PSM) Toolbox ........................................................... 29
INTERESTING WEB SITES .............................................. 29

iheedCrowd: Digital Designers Responding to Global Health Education Challenges .......... 29 Just Detention International................................................................................................... 29
CONFERENCES................................................................ 29
World Health Summit 2012 ................................................................................................... 29 National Conference on Public-Private Partnership in Health - Cambodia........................... 30 Africa TB Conference 2012 ................................................................................................... 30 Meeting Report: Malaria in Pregnancy.................................................................................. 31
CARTOON ......................................................................... 31 TIPS & TRICKS ................................................................. 31

A Ruler for Windows.............................................................................................................. 31 Swype your Way to Typing Heaven ...................................................................................... 32 iPad Six icons in your dock ................................................................................................ 32
Fair Use: This Newsletter is produced under the principles of 'fair use'. We source relevant news articles, resources and research documents and strive to attribute sources by providing reference and/or direct links to authors and websites. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter, do not necessarily represent those of GIZ or the editor of HESP-News & Notes. While we make every effort to ensure that all facts and figures quoted by authors are accurate, GIZ and the editor of the Newsletter cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies contained in any articles. Please contact dneuvians@gmx.de if you believe that errors are contained in any article and we will investigate and provide feedback.
To subscribe for free to the newsletter send an e-mail to:
Majordomo@mailserv.gtz.de
leave the Subject line empty with the following commands in the body of the message:
subscribe hpn-news-notes end (If you have problems subscribing, send me a note (dneuvians@gmx.de) that you would like to receive the newsletter).
We encourage you to share the newsletter with your friends & colleagues.
BOOKS
World Development Report 2013: Jobs
by Martn Rama, Kathleen Beegle, Jesko Hentschel et al. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank, 2012 420 pp. 49.2 MB(!!): http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTNWDR2013/Resources/825 8024-1320950747192/8260293-1322665883147/WDR_2013_Report.pdf The World Development Report on Jobs stresses the role of strong private sector led growth in creating jobs and outlines how jobs that do the most for development can spur a virtuous cycle. The report finds that poverty falls as people work their way out of hardship and as jobs empower women to invest more in their children. Efficiency increases as workers get better at what they do, as more productive jobs appear, and as less productive ones disappear. Societies flourish as jobs foster diversity and provide alternatives to conflict. ***
Regional Equity Watch 2012: Assessing Progress Towards Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa
by Rene Loewenson, Charlotte Zikusooka, Marie Masotya et al. Regional Network for Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa (EQUINET) Part 1 (90 pp. 5.7 MB): http://www.equinetafrica.org/bibl/docs/Regional%20EW%202012%20Part%201w.pdf Part 2 (102 pp. 4.6 MB): http://www.equinetafrica.org/bibl/docs/Regional%20EW%202012%20Part%202w.pdf The report provides evidence from 16 countries in East and Southern Africa on: policy, political and legal commitments to equity in health; the current situation with respect to equity in health outcomes; economic opportunities and challenges for health equity; household access to the resources for health and the social determinants of health; challenging inequities through redistributive health systems and global (in)justice and the issues for global engagement. The analysis shows past levels and current levels (most current data publicly available) and comments on the level of progress towards health equity. ***
Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge

by Jos Miguel Guzmn, Ann Pawliczko, Sylvia Beales et al. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and HelpAge International, October 2012 192 pp. 2.8 MB: http://www.helpage.org/download/5059f6a23af15/ People aged 60 and over are the fastest-growing group in the worlds population and HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 4
will surpass the 1 billion mark in a decade, with global implications for healthcare, r etirement, and social and intergenerational relations. The report recommends that governments act urgently on 10 points to maximise the opportunities presented by ageing populations. These include building the needs of older people into wider policy planning, humanitarian response and disaster preparedness. ***
The Health System Assessment Approach: A How-To Manual

Version 2.0 Partners for Health Reformplus (PHRplus) and Health Systems 20/20 Projects, September 2012 409 pp. 3.3 MB: http://www.healthsystemassessment.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/06/HSAA_Manual_Version_2_Sept_2012.pdf The publication covers key health system functions and is organized around WHOs six health system building blocks: leadership and governance; health financing; service delivery; human resources for health; medical products, vaccines, and technologies; and health information systems. The approach facilitates a collaborative assessment process and provides a critical source of data to assist countries in developing effective strategies for strengthening their health system.
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS
Global Health Depression: A Global Crisis
World Federation for Mental Health - World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2012 32 pp. 436 kB: http://www.wfmh.org/2012DOCS/WMHDay%202012%20SMALL% 20FILE%20FINAL.pdf World Mental Health Day 2012 aims to encourage governments and civil society around the world to address depression as a widespread illness that affects individuals, their families and their peers, and to recognize that it is a treatable condition. People should be alert to the early signs of depressive disorder - it can affect anyone, from young people to seniors. It is now estimated that 350 million people globally are affected by depression, and this alarming figure is a wakeup call for us to address this global noncommunicable disease. ***
Depression: A Global Public Health Concern

by Marina Marcus, M. Taghi Yasamy, Mark van Ommeren et al. WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, 2012 3 pp. 247 kB:
http://new.paho.org/equity/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=82&Itemid=
Depression is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease and affects people in all communities across the world. Today, depression is estimated to affect 350 million people. The World Mental Health Survey conducted in 17 countries found that on average about 1 in 20 people reported having an episode of depression in the previous year. The demand for curbing depression and other mental health conditions is on the rise globally. A recent World Health Assembly called on the World Health Organization and its member states to take action in this direction.
HIV - AIDS - STI The Nuts and Bolts of Implementing HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Clinical Settings
An Interview with Antonio E. Urbina, M.D. by Myles Helfand - TheBodyPRO.com, September 28, 2012 Read online at: http://www.thebodypro.com/content/69236/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-implementing-hiv-preexposur.html?ic=700102 Now that we have an FDA-approved form of HIV chemoprophylaxis, how do we go about dispensing it responsibly? Antonio Urbina, M.D., guides us through the fundamentals of PrEP and explains how health care providers should approach the administration of tenofovir/emtricitabine to HIV-uninfected people. ***
Assessment of the Integration of PMTCT within MNCH Services at Health Facilities in Tanzania
by Cassandra Blazer, Bisola Ojikutu, Karen Schneider et al. AIDS Support and Technical Assistance Resources Project, September 2012 62 pp. 1.0 MB: http://www.aidstar-one.com/sites/default/files/AIDSTAROne_PMTCT-MNCH_Integration_Assessment_Tanzania.pdf In guidelines released in 2010, the World Health Organization recommends that health facilities integrate prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) with maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services to improve patient follow-up and adherence. This report describes the results of an assessment conducted across 70 randomly sampled PMTCT facilities in 14 regions of Tanzania, and the effect of integration on health quality. The authors conclude that integration of PMTCT and MNCH may increase access to PMTCT services. Efforts should be targeted toward improving integration at lower level, community facilities in Tanzania. ***
Predictors of mortality among children on Antiretroviral Therapy at a referral hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: A retrospective follow up study
Digsu Negese Koye, Tadese Awoke Ayele, Berihun Megabiaw Zeleke BMC Pediatrics 2012, 12:161 (8 October 2012) HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 6
13 pp. 1.2 MB: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2431-12-161.pdf Without treatment, a third of children with HIV will die of AIDS before their first birthday, half dying before two years of age. This study aimed to assess magnitude and predictors of mortality among children on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) at a referral hospital in North-West Ethiopia. There was a high rate of early mortality. Hence, starting ART very early reduces disease progression and early mortality; close follow up of all children of HIV-positive mothers is recommended to make the diagnosis and start treatment at an earlier time before they develop severe immunodeficiency. ***
Malaria and helminthic co-infection among HIV-positive pregnant women: Prevalence and effects of antiretroviral therapy
Emil Ivan, Nigel J Crowther, Aniceth T Rucogoza et al. Acta Tropica, Vol. 124, Issue 3, December 2012, pp. 179-184 6 pp. 262 kB: http://www.malarianexus.com/_common/updateable/files/articles/6 34849788020613366.pdf The impact of malaria on anemia and the interplay with helminths underline the importance of addressing the interactions between HIV/AIDS, malaria and intestinal helminth infections in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malariahelminth dual infections among HIV positive pregnant mothers after 12 months of ART. This study shows a high prevalence of malaria and helminth infection among HIVpositive pregnant women in Rwanda. The differential effect of ARTs on the risk of helminth infection is of interest and should be examined prospectively in larger patient groups. ***
The Catholic Church versus HIV/AIDS in Africa

by Mandy Noonan Consultancy Africa Intelligence (Pty) Ltd., October 2012 Read online at:
http://www.consultancyafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1135:thecatholic-church-versus-hivaids-in-africa-&catid=61:hiv-aids-discussion-papers&Itemid=268
This paper discusses the condom controversy arising from Catholic policy and statements from the last two Popes, and the potential impact upon Africa and its female population. Africa has the highest rate of HIV infection in the world and over half of those infected are women. Many activists and non-governmental organisations campaign throughout Africa to advocate condom use as an HIV/AIDS prevention measure. However, the Catholic Church condemns that message and the use of condoms gene rally, resulting in a dangerous contradiction of messages to the public. ***
UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Last updated April 2012 56 pp. 1.8 MB: http://www.nswp.org/sites/nswp.org/files/JC2306_UNAIDSguidance-note-HIV-sex-work_en%5B1%5D_0.pdf HIV and sex work is a complex issue and needs to be understood as such. The delivery of effective services to sex workers and their clients often encounters barriers and resistance that reflect complex and longstanding cultural, religious, and social dynamics. Through honest dialogue and evidence-informed action, sustained progress towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for sex workers can be achieved.
Sexual & Reproductive Health Expanding access to medical abortion: Perspectives of women and providers in developing countries
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Vol. 118, Suppl. 1, pp. S1-S61, September 2012 Access all articles for free at: http://www.ijgo.org/issues?issue_key=S0020-7292%2812%29X0008-0 The 10 papers in this Supplement report on empirical studies conducted in 8 developing countries with widely varying laws and policies concerning abortion in general and access to medical abortion (MA) in particular. The specific research questions likewise vary with the setting. Together, these studies conducted in diverse cultural, legal, and medical-service contexts show that medical abortion is becoming more widely available in developing countries. However, the methods full potential remains untapped because of legal restrictions, poor knowledge of MA among women, and, all too frequently, poor knowledge also among healthcare providers. ***
The Need for Reproductive Health Education in Schools in Egypt

by Mamdouh Wahba and Farzaneh Roudi-Fahimi The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) Policy Brief, October 2012 8 pp. 1.8 MB: http://www.prb.org/pdf12/reproductivehealth-education-egypt.pdf Providing sexuality and reproductive health (SRH) education in schools is a costeffective way of reaching young people because the majority of adolescents are enrolled in school. This policy brief describes the current state of SRH education in schools in Egypt and presents the rationale and recommendations for improvements. It hig hlights portions of UNESCOs guidelines related to SRH education and describes the pioneering work of some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working in this field in the country. ***
When Technology and Tradition Collide: From Gender Bias to Sex Selection
by Kate Gilles and Charlotte Feldman-Jacobs Population Reference Bureau, September 2012 6 pp. 1.0 MB: http://www.prb.org/pdf12/gender-bias-sex-selection.pdf Every year, as a result of prenatal sex selection, 1.5 million girls around the world are missing at birth - it is as if the entire female population of Nairobi simply disappeared. This alarming trend is the result of a perfect storm of three phenomena: the underlying and deep-seated gender inequities that lead parents to value sons over daughters; a trend toward smaller families; and modern medical technologies that can determine fetal sex early and cheaply.
Maternal & Child Health UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children: Commissioners Report
The UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children, September 2012 25 pp. 1.0 MB: http://www.unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/images/publication s/2012/Final%20UN%20Commission%20Report_14sept2012.pdf The UN Secretary-Generals Global Strategy for Womens and Childrens Health (2010) called on the global community to work together to save 16 million lives by 2015. This challenge was taken up by the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children, which identified and endorsed an initial list of 13 overlooked life-saving commodities that, if more widely accessed and properly used, could save the lives of more than 6 million women and children. The scaling up of these commodities is not solely a moral obligation but one of the most effective ways of getting more health for the money invested. ***
Improving Maternal Mortality and Other Aspects of Womens Health

The United States Global Role by Phillip Nieburg Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), October 2012 28 pp. 1.6 MB:
http://csis.org/files/publication/121003_Nieburg_MaternalMortality_Web.pdf
Over the last 25 years, some countries, including some that are resource poor, have made striking progress in reducing maternal mortality, but many others still lag behind and are unlikely to achieve the country-specific 2015 womens health targets established in 2000 under the Millennium Development Goals. In response to this ongoing tragedy, the United States has recently begun taking an increasingly visible role in global efforts to reduce maternal mortality, seeking to create new governmental and public-private partnerships toward that end. HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 9
Community Discussion Guide for Maternal and Newborn Health

A Training Manual for Safe Motherhood Action Groups by Susan B. Aradeon, Mini Soyoola, Mini Soyoola et al. Health Partners International, 2012 88 pp. 6.9 MB: http://www.healthpartnersint.co.uk/our_projects/documents/MAMaZ_CDGuide_AW_single_lowres.pdf Used in six rural districts of Zambia, the Community Discussion Guide has proved to be an effective way to mobilise communities to address common problems within the household and community that prevent timely utilisation of maternal and newborn health services. The community mobilisation process begins with a focus on maternal health issues, and in particular, maternal emergencies, an emotive issue around which communities can be quickly mobilised. Other topics that have an impact on womens health are also covered, including the impact of gender violence and of social problems such as alcoholism, and lack of social support. ***
Serious and Life-Threatening Pregnancy-Related Infections: Opportunities to Reduce the Global Burden
by Courtney A. Gravett, Michael G. Gravett, Emily T. Martin et al. PLoS Med 9(10): e1001324 (9 October 2012) 7 pp. 340 kB:
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action;jsessionid=B713709C36EE775E8 9FE73D6D66B52D2?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001324&representation=PDF
Pregnancy-related infections are one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide, with the burden falling disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries. Such infections can be categorized into four different syndromes occurring at distinct times during pregnancy: puerperal sepsis, septic abortion, pyelonephritis/urosepsis, and rapidly progressive soft tissue infections. Bundled packages of interventions targeted at these different syndromes should be integrated into antenatal care at two time points: initiation of antenatal care and onset of labor. ***
Reducing Neonatal Deaths in South Africa: Are we there yet, and what can be done?
S. Velaphi and N. Rhoda South African Journal of Child Health 6(3): 67-71, August 2012 5 pp. 860 kB: http://www.sajch.org.za/index.php/SAJCH/article/download/493/318 South Africa is one of the countries in which neonatal mortality has remained the same or increased over the last 20 years. The major causes of neonatal deaths are related to prematurity and intrapartum hypoxia. In this paper, the authors discuss a number of interventions that have been shown to reduce neonatal deaths and, if implemented on a wider scale, could reduce neonatal deaths significantly. These interventions include HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 10
providing basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric care, use of antenatal steroids for women in preterm labour, training in immediate care of the newborn and neonatal resuscitation, and post-resuscitation management and ongoing neonatal care (e.g. CPAP), especially to babies who are born preterm. ***
Antibiotic prescribing practice in management of cough and/or diarrhoea in Moshi Municipality, Northern Tanzania: cross-sectional descriptive study
by Judith John Gwimile, Seif Abdallah Shekalaghe, Gibson Nsokolo Kapanda et al. The Pan African Medical Journal,12:103; 13 August 2012 Read online at: http://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/12/103/full/ Irrational use of antibiotics has been documented all over the world. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than half of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed or sold inappropriately, and that half of all patients fail to take them correctly. This study observed a high antibiotic prescription rate by clinicians and that the treatment guidelines for management of patients who presented with cough and/or diarrhoea were not followed. Updating health training programmes for clinicians on how to prescribe medicines e.g. continuing education on disease management would help in r educing irrational prescribing practices. ***
Supporting efforts to end obstetric fistula

Report of the Secretary-General, United Nations General Assembly, 6 August 2012 19 pp. 104 kB: http://www.endfistula.org/webdav/site/endfistula/shared/documents/reports/67th% 20UNGA%20-%20Report%20of%20the%20SecretaryGeneral%20on%20Supporting%20efforts%20to%20end%20obstetric%20fistula.pdf Obstetric fistula is a severe maternal morbidity which can affect any woman or girl who suffers from prolonged or obstructed labour without timely access to an emergency Caesarean section. It is one of the most devastating consequences of neglected childbirth and a stark example of health inequity in the world. To end obstetric fistula, countries must ensure universal access to reproductive health services; eliminate genderbased social and economic inequities; prevent child marriage and early childbearing; promote education and broader human rights, especially for girls; and foster community participation in finding solutions, including through the active involvement of men.
Malaria Independent Evaluation of the Affordable Medicines Facility - malaria (AMFm) Phase 1
AMFm Independent Evaluation Team, September 28, 2012 Submitted by: ICF International and The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
761 pp. 9.0 MB:

http://www.theglobalfund.org/documents/amfm/AMFm_2012IEPhase1FullFinal_Report_en/
This report is an update to the preliminary report that was released in July 2012. The goal of AMFm is to improve access to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), the most effective anti-malaria treatment. The AMFm pilot phase currently operates in eight countries: Cambodia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. The independent evaluation was mandated by the Global Fund Board and will inform its decision in November 2012, when the Board is expected to consider the future of AMFm beyond the pilot phase. ***
Malaria plan under scrutiny: Lack of data and donor uncertainty leave public-health experiment on the rocks
by Amy Maxmen Nature 490, 13-14 (02 October 2012) Read online at: http://www.nature.com/news/malaria-plan-under-scrutiny-1.11509 Is showering a country with low-cost malaria drugs the best way to stem the disease? As a US$ 463-million pilot programme to test the strategy in seven African countries winds down, public-health experts are questioning whether the approach makes sense given shrinking global health budgets and a steady decline in malaria prevalence. Although no official decision has been announced about whether to continue the programme, known as the Affordable Medicines Facility - Malaria (AMFm), many of those familiar with it have told Nature that it must change or be phased out after this year. ***
New Insights into Acquisition, Boosting, and Longevity of Immunity to Malaria in Pregnant Women
by Freya JI. Fowkes, Rose McGready, Nadia J. Cross et al. The Journal of Infectious Diseases - Advance Access published October 2, 2012 10 pp. 400 kB: http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/09/25/infdis.jis566.f ull.pdf+html How antimalarial antibodies are acquired and maintained during pregnancy and boosted after reinfection with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax is unknown. The authors found that antibodies to P. falciparum and P. vivax were highly variable over time, and maintenance of high levels of antimalarial antibodies involved highly dynamic responses resulting from intermittent exposure to infection. There was evidence of boosting with each successive infection for P. falciparum responses, suggesting the presence of immunological memory. These findings may have important practical implications for predicting the duration of vaccine-induced responses by candidate antigens and supports the development of malaria vaccines to protect pregnant women. ***
Assessment of the Molecular Marker of Plasmodium falciparum Chloroquine Resistance (Pfcrt) in Senegal after Several Years of Chloroquine Withdrawal
by Magatte Ndiaye, Babacar Faye, Roger Tine et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2012 11-0709 - Published online August 27, 2012 12 pp. 249 kB: http://www.ajtmh.org/content/early/2012/08/23/ajtmh.2012.11-0709.full.pdf+html Malaria-drug monitoring over the past 30 years has shown that malaria parasites develop resistance to medicine, and the first signs of resistance to the newest drugs have just been observed. At the same time, resistance monitoring at the University of Cope nhagen shows that the previously efficacious drug chloroquine is once again beginning to work against malaria. In time that will ensure cheaper treatment for the worlds poor. ***
The global pipeline of new medicines for the control and elimination of malaria
by Melinda P Anthony, Jeremy N Burrows, Stephan Duparc et al. Malaria Journal 2012, 11:316 (7 September 2012) 50 pp. 3.5 MB: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/pdf/1475-2875-11-316.pdf This study reviews the global portfolio of new medicines in development against malaria, as of the summer of 2012. Cell-based phenotypic screening, and 'fast followers' of clinically validated classes, mean that there are now many new classes of molecules starting in clinical development, especially for the blood stages of malaria. There remain significant gaps for medicines blocking transmission, preventing relapse, and long-duration molecules for chemoprotection. The nascent pipeline of new medicines is significantly stronger than five years ago. ***
Mobiles for Malaria

by William Brieger Africa Health, September 2012 5 pp. 1.4 MB: http://www.africa-health.com/articles/september_2012/Malaria.pdf From improved management information flows to parasite diagnosis, the mobile phone is becoming a valuable tool in the fight against malaria. The author shares various experiences in using mobile phones for malaria programmes. Some information comes from news reports, while others come from well-designed research studies. A number of issues such as cost and coverage still need to be resolved before cell phone communications can be taken to scale, but the fact that people around the continent are trying to improve services through use of mobile is an encouraging sign of 21st Century health progress. ***
Tuberculosis MDR-TB Planning Toolkit

by Sarah Royce, DArcy Richardson, Lisa Mueller et al. The World Health Organization (WHO) and PATH, September 2012 79 pp. 1.6 MB: http://www.path.org/publications/files/TB_mdr-tb_toolkit.doc 79 pp. 897 kB: http://www.path.org/publications/files/TB_mdr-tb_toolkit.pdf The MDR-TB Planning Toolkit is designed to help assist countries develop or strengthen a multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) component within their national TB strategy or plan. Eight tools contain worksheets to assist the user through key planning steps. The toolkit is intended for countries, technical partners, international organizations, and donors. It is available as a Microsoft Word file (for users who wish to modify it) and as an Adobe PDF file (recommended for printing). For worksheets etc. and other language versions (Russian, Spanish) go to: http://www.path.org/publications/detail.php?i=1678 ***
Implementation of Xpert MTB/RIF for routine point-of-care diagnosis of tuberculosis at the primary care level
by Kate Clouse, Liesl Page-Shipp, Heather Dansey et al. SAMJ, Vol. 102, No. 10; October 2012 3 pp. 85 kB: http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/download/5851/4498 Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) offers rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance. However, little is known about routine point-of-care (POC) use in high TB/HIV burden settings. The authors describe their experiences of launching Xpert as the POC, initial diagnostic for all TB suspects at a primary healthcare clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa. They conclude that POC use of Xpert is feasible at the primary healthcare level but must be accompanied by financial, operational and logistical support.
Other Infectious Diseases Combating Neglected Diseases

Financial Times Special Report - Health Thursday October 11 2012 4 pp. 2.8 MB: http://media.ft.com/cms/00a0a9ba-11ce-11e2b9fd-00144feabdc0.pdf According to the best statistics available and the data are extremely poor more than HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 14
1bn people in the world are chronically infected by one or more neglected tropical diseases (NTD), and more than half a million people a year die as a result. Yet they receive scant support for research, prevention or treatment. The good news today is that some are becoming less neglected: they have risen to the priorities of donors and policymakers over the past decade. There has been a surge in academic articles in the past few years, and donors led by the US Agency for International Development, the UKs Department for International Development and the Gates Foundation have considerably stepped up support. ***
Review of Two Decades of Cholera Diagnostics How Far Have We Really Come?
by Michal H. Dick, Martine Guillerm, Francis Moussy et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 6(10): e1845 (11 October 2012) 8 pp. 276 kB:
http://www.plosntds.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action;jsessionid=F449E1600ADC2453 F31060AF05CE3BAF?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0001845&representation=PDF
Cholera, an ancient scourge, continues to inflict high rates of mortality today. The rising incidence of epidemics in areas of poor sanitation and crowding highlight the need for better epidemic prevention and early response. Such interventions require the availability of rapid and accurate diagnostic techniques to trigger timely response and mitigate the scale of the outbreak. The current gold standard of bacterial culture is inadequate for rapid diagnosis, highlighting the overarching neglect of field diagnostic needs. ***
Effects of Short-Course Oral Corticosteroid Therapy in Early Dengue Infection in Vietnamese Patients: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
by Dong T. H. Tam, Tran V. Ngoc, Nguyen T. H. Tien et al. Clin Infect Dis. (2012) 55 (9): 1216-1224 9 pp. 274 kB: http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/55/9/1216.full.pdf+html Use of oral prednisolone for 3 days during the early acute phase of dengue virus infection appears to be safe, but did not reduce the rate of development of shock or other recognized complications of dengue in this randomized, placebo-controlled trial. ***
Costs of Illness Due to Cholera, Costs of Immunization and CostEffectiveness of an Oral Cholera Mass Vaccination Campaign in Zanzibar
by Christian Schaetti, Mitchell G. Weiss, Said M. Ali et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 6(10): e1844 (4 October 2012) 10 pp. 188 kB:
http://www.plosntds.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action;jsessionid=57A965BE839336F48 24C7E5C83FF95FF?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0001844&representation=PDF
Based on empirical and site-specific cost and effectiveness data from Zanzibar, the 2009 mass vaccination campaign was cost-ineffective mainly due to the relatively high HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 15
OCV purchase price and a relatively low incidence. However, mass vaccination campaigns in Zanzibar to control endemic cholera may meet criteria for cost-effectiveness under certain circumstances, especially in high-incidence areas and at OCV prices below USD 1.3.
Non-communicable Diseases Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013-2020
World Health Organization Zero Draft (Version dated 10 October 2012) 34 pp. 367 kB: http://www.who.int/nmh/events/2012/ncd_zero_draft_action_plan_2013-2020.pdf The Global Action Plan includes six objectives and multilevel actions for Member States, the WHO Secretariat, and international partners to support implementation of prevention and control of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) at country level, in line with the Political Declaration of the UN High-Level Meeting of September 2011 that called upon WHO to develop a comprehensive global monitoring framework for assessing progress in the implementation of national strategies for the four main NCDs (Cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and chronic lung diseases). ***
Measuring progress on NCDs: one goal and five targets

by Robert Beaglehole, Majid Ezzati, Neeraj Bhala et al. The Lancet, Vol. 380, Issue 9850, pp. 1283-1285, 13 October 2012 3 pp. 100 kB: http://download.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140673612616924.pdf Heads of states and governments made commitments to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Political Declaration from the UN High-level Meeting on NCDs in September, 2011. A key commitment in the Political Declaration calls upon WHO to develop a comprehensive global monitoring framework to assess progress in the implementation of national strategies and plans for the four main NCDs: cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases.
Food & Nutrition The State of Food Insecurity in the World - 2012
by David Dawe, Hartwig de Haen, Kostas Stamoulis et al. UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), October 2012 65 pp. 3.8 MB: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/i3027e.pdf
The report presents new estimates of undernourishment based on a revised and improved methodology. The new estimates show that progress in reducing hunger during the past 20 years has been better than previously believed, and that, given renewed e fforts, it may be possible to reach the MDG hunger target at the global level by 2015. However, the number of people suffering from chronic undernourishment is still unacceptably high, and eradication of hunger remains a major global challenge. ***
Global Hunger Index 2012

The Challenge of Hunger: Ensuring Sustainable Food Security under Land, Water, and Energy Stresses by Klaus von Grebmer, Claudia Ringler, Mark W. Rosegrant et al. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 2010 72 pp. 4.3 MB: http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/ghi12.pdf In this report, IFPRI describes the evidence on land, water, and energy scarcity in developing countries and offers two visions of a future global food system - an unsustainable scenario in which current trends in resource use continue, and a sustainable scenario in which access to food, modern energy, and clean water improves significantly and ecosystem degradation is halted or reversed.
Essential Medicines Medicines for the World

by Suerie Moon and Ellen t Hoen The Scientist, October 1, 2012 Read online at: http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/32664/ We are saddled with a Research and Development (R&D) system that suffers from declining rates of innovation, unaffordable prices for end products, and a misalignment between research investments and the medical needs of society. A global R&D treaty could encompass a number of measures that would improve the existing system. While a treaty wont solve every health challenge or all the woes of industry, building a system of global norms, rules, and incentives that makes public health the key driver of pha rmaceutical research would move us towards a more equitable, healthier world. ***
Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines List for South Africa
Hospital Level - Adults; Third Edition 2012 The National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa 424 pp. 1.7 MB: http://www.kznhealth.gov.za/pharmacy/edladult_2012.pdf This edition marks the culmination of an intense and thorough review process. The Standard Treatment Guidelines have been aligned with current developments in mediHESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 17
cine and scientific advances. Clinical evidence was used in the selection of medicines. In addition, prevailing medicine cost, affordability, as well as practice implications were taken into consideration.
Social Protection Social protection for food security

Committee on World Food Security, High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, c/o FAO, June 2012 100 pp. 2.5 MB:
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/hlpe/hlpe_documents/HLPE_Re ports/HLPE-Report-4-Social_protection_for_food_security-June_2012.pdf
This report looks at ways to lessen vulnerability through social and productive safety net programs and policies with respect to food and nutritional security, taking into consider ation differing conditions across countries and regions. It also reviews the impact of exis ting policies for the improvement of living conditions and resilience of vulnerable populations and the benefits of social protection measures on improving local production and livelihoods and promoting better nutrition. ***
Social Policies in Samoa

by Desmond U. Amosa Commonwealth Secretariat and United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, 2012 64 pp. 447 kB: http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BCCF9/(httpAuxPages)/FA80 6696DBB45D71C1257A52002D3EC7/$file/SP%20Samoa.pdf This publication discusses in depth the fundamentals that have enabled the country to uplift the quality of its society since independence: the welfare state; social cohesion; participative democracy; and the rule of law. Of the four, the welfare state and social cohesion have proved to be the most significant building blocks for the countrys steady social progress, as well as its growing post-crisis resilience.
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene European Union Development Assistance for Drinking Water Supply and Basic Sanitation in Sub-Saharan Countries
European Court of Auditors (ECA), Special Report No 13/2012 50 pp. 663 kB: http://eca.europa.eu/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/16800740.PDF Sub-Saharan Africa is not on track to meet the millennium development goals for water and sanitation. The ECA found that out of 23 projects in six African countries, EU water and sanitation projects increased access to drinking water and sanitation, but did not achieve the fully desired results or meet the needs of recipients. The audit found that HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 18
the projects were technically sustainable, using easily replaceable technology made from local materials, but that the projects failed in the medium and long-term when nontariff revenue stopped due to weak operator capacity. ***
The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security Issue

Edited by Harriet Bigas, Tim Morris, Bob Sandford and Zafar Adeel United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), 2012 176 pp. 4.1 MB: http://www.inweh.unu.edu/WaterSecurity/documents/WaterSecurit y_FINAL_Aug2012.pdf In the past 20 years, it has become increasingly evident that there will not be enough fresh water on Earth to meet all human needs in the near future unless we change the way in which water is valued, allocated and managed. Countries around the world even those with relatively abundant water resources are facing problems of supply and quality in the face of growing populations and increased competition for use. We are not without hope, however. Informed by science and enlightened policy direction, a new water ethic is beginning to emerge globally which views water in the context of global security and human development as an instrument for sustainable development and peace. ***
Science-Policy Bridges over Troubled Waters

Making Science Deliver Greater Impacts in Shared Water Systems by Laurence Mee and Zafar Adeel United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), 2012 54 pp. 14.1 MB(!):
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3960397/FINAL%20SynthesisReport_Web.pdf
Many world regions face water bankruptcy due to mismanagement of water resources, with implications for food and energy security. This mismanagement of water and aquatic systems has led to situations where both social and ecological systems are in jeopardy and have even collapsed, says the report, a study of almost 200 major international water-related projects over the past 20 years. The report urges investment in science to identify emerging issues and track trends relating to the use of water resources to help reduce the risks.
Human Resources iHRIS Retain: Cost Health Worker Retention Interventions

http://retain.ihris.org/retain/ CapacityPlus and the World Health Organizations (WHO) Department for Health Systems Policies and Workforce, 2012 Health worker retention is critical to ensure better access to health services. There are HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 19
many interventions that can motivate health workers to accept posts and remain in rural and other underserved areas. As part of the decision-making process about the most appropriate retention strategy to pursue and to advocate for funding support, you will need to know how much the retention interventions will cost. iHRIS Retain is an open source tool to cost various health worker interventions and develop retention strategies to be implemented at the district, regional, or national level.
Health Systems & Research Call for Global Leadership

To the Open-Ended Meeting of Member States, Concerning the Recommendations of the Consultative Experts Work Group Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), October 2012 4 pp. 664 kB:
http://www.cohred.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/COHRED_calltoaction.pdf
The current incentive systems for research and development are failing to address the needs of developing countries, leaving millions of people without affordable access to the products they need for the conditions they suffer from. Global health research resource flows to low and middle-income countries remain poorly co-ordinated with national research agendas, while failing to consistently support and build their national research and innovation systems, systems which ultimately would support these countries in making the transition from aid-dependence. ***
Hidden costs: The direct and indirect impact of user fees on access to malaria treatment and primary care in Mali
by Ari Johnson, Adeline Goss, Jessica Beckerman et al. Social Science and Medicine, Volume 75, Issue 10, November 2012, pp. 1786-1792 7 pp. 167 kB: http://www.malarianexus.com/_common/updateable/files/articles/6 34838365629112622.pdf About 20 years after initial calls for the introduction of user fees in health systems in sub-Saharan Africa, a growing coalition is advocating for their removal. Several African countries have abolished user fees for health care for some or all of their citizens. However, fee-for-service health care delivery remains a primary health care funding model in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Although the impact of user fees on utilization of health services and household finances has been studied extensively, further research is needed to characterize the multi-faceted health and social problems associated with charging user fees. ***
Indicators for Measuring Universal Health Coverage: A Five-Country Analysis

Draft - by Sherri Haas, Laurel Hatt, Anthony Leegwater, et al. HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 20
Health Systems 20/20 Project, Abt Associates Inc., September 2012 50 pp. 527 kB: http://www.healthsystems2020.org/userfiles/Indicators%20for%20 UHC%20Draft%20Report_Sept27.pdf This study aimed to advance the dialogue on measurement of universal health coverage (UHC) by taking a practical, bottom-up approach specifically, cataloguing indicators of UHC that have already been defined in the literature, assessing the feasibility of producing those indicators from already-available data sources, and reflecting upon their strengths and weaknesses.
Information & Communication Technology State of Broadband 2012: Achieving Digital Inclusion For All
by Phillippa Biggs, Antonio Garca Zaballos, Ahone Njume-Ebong et al. The Broadband Commission for Digital Development, September 2012 100 pp. 2.3 MB: http://www.broadbandcommission.org/Documents/bbannualreport2012.pdf The report evaluates the roll-out of broadband around the world and tracks progress towards achieving the four targets set by the Commission in 2011 for boosting broadband affordability and uptake. It provides country rankings across up to 177 economies on affordability, national broadband policy, and connecting people and dwellings. ***
Optimizing Network Connectivity for Mobile Health Technologies in subSaharan Africa

by Mark J. Siedner, Alexander Lankowski, Derrick Musinga et al. PLoS ONE 7(9): e45643 (28 September 2012) 5 pp. 5.2 MB:
http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action;jsessionid=816068CD63000BB1F 636E45B5154EF6F?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0045643&representation=PDF
Mobile health (mHealth) technologies hold incredible promise to improve healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings. Network reliability across large catchment areas can be a major challenge. The authors performed an analysis of network failure frequency as part of a study of real-time adherence monitoring in rural Uganda. They hypothesized that the addition of short messaging service (SMS+GPRS) to the standard cellular network modality (GPRS) would reduce network disruptions and improve transmission of data. ***
Bigger Cities, Smaller Screens: Urbanization, Mobile Phones, and Digital Media Trends in Africa
by Adam Clayton Powell III Center for International Media Assistance, September 2012 HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 21
40 pp. 866 kB: http://cima.ned.org/sites/default/files/CIMAAfrica%20Digital%20Media%20-%2009-18-12.pdf The convergence of African urbanization and technological change, including the rise of digital media, is driving major change on the continent. Perhaps most dramatic, cellphones and other mobile devices, already widespread, are becoming a nearly universal platform, not only for telephony but also for audio and video information and entertainment. This report traces the dramatic spread of mobile telephony in Africa and examines how this is affecting the news media landscape on the continent.
Harm Reduction & Drug Use Women And Drug Use in Malaysia (WADUM)
Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS (CERiA), March 2012 5 pp. 127 kB: http://www.cahrproject.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/05/WADUM_FinalReport_01032012-1.pdf The HIV epidemic in Malaysia is concentrated among people who use drugs. While there is now greater understanding about men who use drugs little is yet known about drug use among women. This report provides a brief overview and preliminary results of a pilot study among women who use drugs in Kuala Lumpur. The main objective of this study is to identify major health needs among women who use drugs, their risk factors associated with drug use and HIV transmission, barriers to treatment, and other experiences that affect female users. ***
Opiate substitution treatment and HIV transmission in people who inject drugs: systematic review and meta-analysis
by Georgie J MacArthur, Silvia Minozzi, Natasha Martin et al. BMJ 2012;345:e5945 (Published 4 October 2012) 16 pp. 986 kB: http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e5945.pdf%2Bhtml The authors conclude that opiate substitution treatment provided as maintenance therapy is associated with a reduction in the risk of HIV infection among people who inject drugs. These findings, however, could reflect comparatively high levels of motivation to change behaviour and reduce injecting risk behaviour among people who inject drugs who are receiving opiate substitution treatment. ***
The alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT): validation of a Nepali version for the detection of alcohol use disorders and hazardous drinking in medical settings
by Bickram Pradhan, Franois Chappuis, Dharanidhar Baral et al. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 2012, 7:42 (5 October 2012) 17 pp. 315 kB: http://www.substanceabusepolicy.com/content/pdf/1747-597X-7-42.pdf Alcohol problems are a major health issue in Nepal and remain under diagnosed. The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test) questionnaire developed by WHO identifies individuals along the full spectrum of alcohol misuse and hence provides an opportunity for early intervention in non-specialty settings. The authors conclude that the AUDIT questionnaire is a good screening instrument for detecting alcohol use disorders in patients attending a university hospital. This study also reveals a very high prevalence of alcohol use disorders in Nepal. ***
Risking enchantment: how are we to view the smoking person?

by Jane Macnaughton, Susana Carro-Ripalda and Andrew Russell Critical Public Health, 2012, 1-15 16 pp. 145 kB:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/29184289/Risking_enchantment_online_publication24th_July12.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIR6FSIMDFXPEERSA& Expires=1350078675&Signature=Q9rrgQ4U%2BlAsR0Y%2F9wv09fWggkc%3D
The idea of the smoking person portrayed in public health has been criticised as being based on too narrow a view of human nature. This article discusses that view: that of a person with a stable core and epiphenomenal behaviours that can be removed by rational persuasion or Pavlovian manipulation, and examines social scientific critiques of it. Aspects of smokers experience revealed in qualitative research descriptions of cigarettes as companions or friends, deep reliance, sensual pleasure are sometimes difficult to articulate but can be given full voice in the context of the literary arts.
Millennium Development Goals Aid Effectiveness in the Health Sector: Progress and Lessons
OECD Publishing, 13 August 2012 Read the full text online at:
http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/development/progressand-challenges-in-aid-effectiveness_9789264178014-en
The Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF4), held in Busan in 2011, presented a critical opportunity for all development partners to work together on a new global compact to broaden and deepen the global development partnership. The work on aid effectiveness and health, which has been developed and regularly reported on for the past four years in the context of the Working Party on Aid Effectiveness, has been the most tangible effort to bridge the debate on the quality of development cooperation partnerships and the one on development results, including the MDGs.
Rural Women and the Millennium Development Goals

Inter-Agency Task Force on Rural Women, 2012 12 pp. 5.8 MB: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/ruralwomen/documents/En -Rural-Women-MDGs-web.pdf This fact sheet highlights the progress of rural women against key Millennium Development Goal (MDG) indicators, pointing to some of the advancements made and gaps that still exist. It suggests that globally, and with only a few exceptions, rural women fare worse than rural men and urban women and men for every MDG. While data collection along these lines has improved in recent years there still remains a general lack of data not only disaggregated by sex, but also by rural and urban areas. This has an impact on our global ability to confidently monitor progress toward the MDGs for all people in all regions, urban and rural, and particularly where progress is needed most. ***
Health in the Post-2015 Development Agenda

Prepared by WHO & UNICEF with inputs from other UN agencies, September 2012 5 pp. 154 kB: http://www.who.int/topics/millennium_development_goals/post2015/post2015_the matic_consultation_health_process_20121003.pdf This document provides an outline of the proposed process for the global thematic consultation on health. For each thematic area, selected UN organizations will lead the preparation and planning of the consultations in partnership with one or two government leads that will ensure Member State leadership and involvement as well as overall steering. This concept note defines the objectives for the thematic consultation on health, describes how it could take place, and identifies the resources needed.
Development Assistance Aid Effectiveness in the Health Sector

by Melisa Martnez lvarez and Arnab Acharya United Nations University (UNU) and World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER), August 2012 41 pp. 297 kB: http://zunia.org/uploads/media/knowledge/wp2012-0691348929881.pdf This paper explores the current evidence underlying the debate on aid effectiveness, with a specific focus on the health sector. The current evidence on what works in the different aid modalities is outlined, highlighting examples of success. The review finds that resource allocation, lack of predictability of funds, fragmentation, fungibility and the system of relationships foreign aid generates all hinder its effectiveness. Furthermore, even when projects are successful, countries face constraints in scaling them up. *** HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 24
Creating a Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation

by J. Brian Atwood Center for Global Development, October 2012 37 pp. 597 kB:
http://www.cgdev.org/files/1426543_file_Atwood_Busan_FINAL.pdf?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9 wsRogvavIZKXonjHpfsXw6%2B4kWKOg38431UFwdcjKPmjr1YAJTsZ0dvycMRAVFZl5nQhdDOWN
This essay analyzes the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, held in Busan, Korea, in 2011. It analyzes how the process of preparing for Busan was used to ove rcome political opposition and create trust among diverse actors. The introduction of empirical evidence in a timely manner and the effort to place that evidence in context contributed to the prospects for success. It is a story of how a unique organizational entity, the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and its member states, backed by a highly competent secretariat and strong leadership at many levels, exercised effective leadership at critical moments to achieve a positive outcome. ***
Bypass or Engage? Explaining Donor Delivery Tactics in Foreign Aid Allocation

by Simone Dietrich Princeton University, July 2011 45 pp. 174 kB: http://simone-dietrich.com/content_images/file/bypass%20final.pdf The conventional wisdom in the literature on aid allocation suggests that donors utilize bilateral aid as a tool to buy influence in the aid-receiving country. Those who conclude that aid is driven by donor self-interest focus on government-to-government aid transfers. However, this approach overlooks important variation in delivery tactics: bilateral donors frequently provide aid to non-state actors. This paper argues that donors resort to delivery tactics that increase the likelihood of aid achieving its intended outcome. ***
Aid Effectiveness in Rwanda: Who Benefits?

by Pamela Abbott and John Rwirahira ActionAid Rwanda, August 2012 106 pp. 9.4 MB: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Aid%20effectin ess%20in%20Rwanda%202012.pdf Rwanda, one of the poorest and most aid dependent countries in the world, has made dramatic development progress since 2006 and is now on track to achieve most MDG targets by 2015. It is appropriate to review the effectiveness of development aid in Rwanda, the role it has played in prompting sustainable economic growth and transfo rmation as well as reducing poverty and inequality. A key question is the extent to which development aid is being invested to do itself out of a job. *** HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 25
Regulation of Foreign Aid in Selected Countries 2011/2012

This report concerns foreign aid allocation in the European Union as well as in Australia, Brazil, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, New Zealand, Norway, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Global Legal Research Center, 2012 293 pp. 2.0 MB: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/foreign_aid_2011-006054_FINAL_RPT.pdf This collection of reports provides an overview of the way the European Union and eighteen selected countries from different continents around the world have handled their contributions to foreign development aid. The reports provide historical and background information on international cooperation agreements regarding ODA and statistical data regarding both ODA and private contribution figures. The reports further highlight priorities utilized by donor countries in selecting recipients and in determining the types of development assistance they provide. ***
ODI Annual Report 2011-2012: impact and priorities

Overseas Development Institute (ODI), October 2012 76 pp. 5.5 MB: http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/docs/7836.pdf ODI is the UKs leading independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues. Their mission is to inspire and inform policy and practice which lead to the reduction of poverty, the alleviation of suffering and the achievement of sustainable livelihoods. They do this by locking together high-quality applied research, practical policy advice and policy-focused dissemination and debate. They work with partners in the public and private sectors, in both developing and developed countries.
Others Management of healthcare waste: developments in Southeast Asia in the twenty-first century
by Jan-Gerd Khling and Ute Pieper Waste Manag Res 2012 30: 100 5 pp. 1.1 MB: http://wmr.sagepub.com/content/30/9_suppl/100.full.pdf+html In many Southeast Asian countries, significant challenges persist with regard to the proper management and disposal of healthcare waste. The amount of healthcare waste in these countries is continuously increasing as a result of the expansion of healthcare systems and services. In the past, healthcare waste, if it was treated at all, was mainly incinerated. Based upon sample projects, a short overview of the current development trends in the healthcare waste sector in Laos, Indonesia and Vietnam is provided in this article. *** HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 26
Developing a National Mental Health Policy: A Case Study from Uganda

by Joshua Ssebunnya, Fred Kigozi, Sheila Ndyanabangi PLoS Med 9(10): e1001319 (2 October 2012) 4 pp. 212 kB:
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action;jsessionid=865138649406D766D 2F62555F35F3492?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001319&representation=PDF
Mental health policy development is an iterative process that requires wide stakeholder consultations and during which the policy content is revised several times before arriving at the final policy document. A small, multidisciplinary drafting committee can increase the efficiency of the process and enrich the content of the draft policy. Comparing and borrowing from policies of other countries of similar socio-economic context can be helpful during the policy development process. ***
Antibiotic Therapy as Single Treatment of Acute Appendicitis

by Jeanette Hansson University of Gothenburg, 2012 50 pp. 466 kB: https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/28960/6/gupea_2077_28960_6.pdf Appendectomy has been the established treatment of acute appendicitis during the last century, regarded as a simple and safe procedure, although hampered with postoper ative complications and increased standard mortality. Modern research has indicated that selected patients with acute appendicitis can be treated by antibiotic therapy alone. The author concludes that acute appendicitis in unselected adult patients can be treated with antibiotics as single therapy with high recovery rate and low recurrence rate within one year. Antibiotics can be offered to a majority of patients without the risk of increased complications.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
Patent Opposition Database
http://patentoppositions.org A new online resource for civil society and patient groups in developing countries to challenge unwarranted drug patents was just launched by Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF). The Patent Opposition Database comes as many developing countries face dramatically high drug prices because patents block the production of lower-cost generic versions. MSF relies on affordable medicines for its medical work in more than 60 countries; in the case of HIV treatment, over 80 per cent of medicines used in developing countries are generics. ***
mSupply pharmaceutical inventory control software version 3.11

New features include: SMS integration See: http://msupply.org.nz/History/v311-18-september-2012 mSupply now integrates with Frontline SMS to receive stock on hand reports which it uses to calculate customer usage and generate new issues. ***
Bulletin of the World Health Organization - Vol. 90, Nr. 10, October 2012, 713-792
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/90/10/en/index.html Highlights from the October 2012 issue: Why we need stockpiles of oral cholera vaccine Efforts to increase organ donations around the world Tracking the number of rotavirus deaths Effect of the pill on HIV transmission and pregnancy Complications of male circumcision in Kenya The impact of new TB diagnosis methods You can now read the Bulletin on a variety of different formats. The journal is now available on electronic publishing devices, Kindle readers and as a Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) digital talking book. ***
South African Medical Journal Vol. 102 No. 10; 2012

The October issue of the South African Medical Journal is now available online (open access) at http://www.samj.org.za You are invited to review the Table of Contents and to read/download items of interest. Highlights in this issue: Private healthcare - getting back to the patient Improving maternal health outcomes Sexual healthcare for the disabled NHI - a GPs approach to costing Point-of-care diagnosis of TB - benefits and challenges ***
2012 Aid Transparency Index

http://www.publishwhatyoufund.org/index/2012-index/ The U.K. Department for International Development (DfID) topped a new index that measures the transparency of 72 funding organizations in providing information about their aid programs. DfID was one of only two donor organizations - along with the World Banks International Development Association - to score good on the 2012 Aid Transparency Index produced by global campaign group Publish What You Fund. DfIDs HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 28
high score reflects the agencys efforts to make key information about its aid program more available to the public. ***
Procurement & Supply Management (PSM) Toolbox

http://www.psmtoolbox.org/en/index.php The PSM Toolbox is developed by WHO/AIDS Medicines and Diagnostics Service (AMDS) together with i+solutions and other international organizations. It is presented in the form of a search where PSM professionals may select tools to suit their needs without losing time navigating in several agencies' websites. The full database can be a ccessed online as well as downloaded to USB sticks or hard disks allowing users to make use of the tools in areas without internet access. Users may also update their data whenever they have internet connection.
INTERESTING WEB SITES

iheedCrowd: Digital Designers Responding to Global Health Education Challenges
http://www.iheedcrowd.org/index.html iheedCrowd provides the platform for the digital design community to address global health education and training challenges. Digital media offers the opportunity to express your creativity. Via animation and the medium of film, health workers can be trained via devices such as cell phones and tablets. Individuals and communities can receive novel and effective health messages through what is created. ***
Just Detention International

http://www.justdetention.org/ Just Detention International is a health and human rights organization that seeks to end sexual abuse in all forms of detention. The rape of detainees, whether committed by corrections staff or by inmates, is a crime and is recognized under international law as a form of torture.
CONFERENCES
World Health Summit 2012
21st - 24th October 2012, Berlin, Germany The World Health Summit is the annual conference of the M8 Alliance of Academic Health Centres and Medical Universities, organized by Charit Universittsmedizin Berlin in collaboration with the National Academies of Sciences of more the 67 countries and their Interacademy Medical Panel (IAMP). The Summits mission is to bring together researchers, physicians, leading government officials and representatives from industry as well as from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and health care systems worldwide to address the most pressing issues facing medicine and health care systems HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 29
over the next decade and beyond. For more information see: http://www.worldhealthsummit.org/ ***
National Conference on Public-Private Partnership in Health - Cambodia

Working together to provide quality health services in Cambodia 7 November 2012, Phnom Penh, Cambodia The Forum will focus on the following objectives: Improve understanding of the concept of public-private partnership. Provide examples of how PPP works in other countries, including advanced and developing economies. Provide examples of PPP experiences in Cambodia and identify some lessons learned so far. Improve understanding of existing rules and regulations, mechanisms for private sector participation in developing and refining them, and identify areas for improvement of implementation. Identify potential PPP models for applying or scaling up in Cambodia. Agree on key next steps to promote the growth of effective public-private partnerships in the health sector. The organizers are very much interested in displaying self-explanatory posters or other kind of presentations describing activities, success stories and lessons learnt in both PPP and PPP in health. If your programme has something to be widely shared, they would be glad to do so during the conference. If you are interested in displaying your work during the conference or need further information, please, feel free to contact Cornelia Becker c.becker@zelenos.de or Julian Hansen julian.hansen.work@gmail.com ***
Africa TB Conference 2012

2nd Africa TB Regional Conference on Management of TB Medicines 5-7 December 2012, Zanzibar, Tanzania Building on the success of the 2011 regional conference, the Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services Program (SIAPS) will conduct a second Africa regional conference in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The conference will focus on identifying and prioritizing country specific challenges for the management of TB medicines. By the end of the conference, participants will have worked to develop concrete action plans that will be widely disseminated for solicitation of technical assistance and support from donors and Stop TB partners. The USAID-funded SIAPS program will also provide technical support to countries through its regional pool of TB experts. Registration for the conference ends October 15, 2012. For further information see: http://africatb2012.wordpress.com/ ***
Meeting Report: Malaria in Pregnancy

Bringing the maternal health and malaria communities together 26-28 June 2012, Istanbul, Turkey Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF), October 2012 19 pp. 796 kB: http://maternalhealthtaskforce.org/images/MiP_Meeting_Report_Final_10-4-12.pdf This report summarizes the discussions, emerging themes, and next steps from the meeting Malaria in Pregnancy: A Solvable Problem - Bringing the Maternal Health and Malaria Communities Together. At the request of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and with BMGFs support, the MHTF convened the meeting in Istanbul in co llaboration with a steering committee comprised of the BMGF, Liverpool School of Trop ical Medicine (LSTM), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and PATH.
CARTOON
TIPS & TRICKS

A Ruler for Windows
Have you ever needed to measure something on screen? Making a graphic for a document and need it to be just the right size? Want a photo to fit perfectly in a profile, but not sure how big the image is supposed to be? Designing a website and want to match the icon sizes of another site you like?
Well this is the software for you. A Ruler For Windows allows you to: Measure on-screen elements by the pixel. Get exact sizes for images/graphics. Magnify the screen to get extra precise measurements. Measure vertically and horizontally. Skin support to customize the look of your ruler. Download A Ruler for Windows for free by clicking here, and install the programme. ***
Swype your Way to Typing Heaven

Swype is the newest way to type on your smartphone. It is fast, and can type at about 40 words per minute. It is simple, too you can learn without even watching the tutorial. Just place your finger on the letters you want to type, and swipe to the next and next, until you complete the sentence. The moment you lift your finger, an automatic space is inserted however, you will have to pass over the period symbol to insert a full stop, because the algorithm isnt intelligent enough to know when the sentence ends. If you have the latest Android phone (version 2.3 and up), chances are that you already have Swype integrated with the other third party apps on your phone, as found on the Samsung Galaxy Note. If you dont, it is easy to get: just go to the Swype website and get the beta version. Go to the Ovi Store if you have Nokia. ***
iPad Six icons in your dock

By default (and on other iDevices, like the iPod Touch) iPads dock only holds 4 application icons, but with a simple tap, hold and drag you can store up to six in the iPads ample dock space. So tap and hold an icon until it starts to wiggle and drag it down onto the dock. There you are!
Best regards, Dieter Neuvians MD

Health, Education, Social Protection News &amp; Notes 22/2012

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Health, Education, Social Protection News &amp; Notes 22/2012

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Health, Education, Social Protection News & Notes 22/2012

A bi-weekly newsletter supported by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit)

Table of Contents: BOOKS ................................................................................ 4

ONLINE PUBLICATIONS .................................................... 5

HIV - AIDS - STI ......................................................................................................... 6

Sexual & Reproductive Health .................................................................................... 8

Maternal & Child Health.............................................................................................. 9

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 1

Other Infectious Diseases......................................................................................... 14

Non-communicable Diseases ................................................................................... 16

Food & Nutrition........................................................................................................ 16

Essential Medicines .................................................................................................. 17

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene..................................................................................... 18

Health Systems & Research ..................................................................................... 20

Information & Communication Technology ............................................................... 21

Harm Reduction & Drug Use .................................................................................... 22

Millennium Development Goals ................................................................................ 23

Development Assistance .......................................................................................... 24

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 2

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES ............................................ 27

INTERESTING WEB SITES .............................................. 29

CARTOON ......................................................................... 31 TIPS & TRICKS ................................................................. 31

To subscribe for free to the newsletter send an e-mail to:

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 3

Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge

The Health System Assessment Approach: A How-To Manual

Depression: A Global Public Health Concern

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 5

The Catholic Church versus HIV/AIDS in Africa

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 7

UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work

The Need for Reproductive Health Education in Schools in Egypt

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 8

Improving Maternal Mortality and Other Aspects of Womens Health

Community Discussion Guide for Maternal and Newborn Health

Supporting efforts to end obstetric fistula

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 11

761 pp. 9.0 MB:

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 12

Mobiles for Malaria

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 13

Tuberculosis MDR-TB Planning Toolkit

Other Infectious Diseases Combating Neglected Diseases

Measuring progress on NCDs: one goal and five targets

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 16

Global Hunger Index 2012

Essential Medicines Medicines for the World

Social Protection Social protection for food security

Social Policies in Samoa

The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security Issue

Science-Policy Bridges over Troubled Waters

Human Resources iHRIS Retain: Cost Health Worker Retention Interventions

Health Systems & Research Call for Global Leadership

Indicators for Measuring Universal Health Coverage: A Five-Country Analysis

Optimizing Network Connectivity for Mobile Health Technologies in subSaharan Africa

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 22

Risking enchantment: how are we to view the smoking person?

HESP-News & Notes - 22/2012 - page 23

Rural Women and the Millennium Development Goals

Health in the Post-2015 Development Agenda

Development Assistance Aid Effectiveness in the Health Sector

Creating a Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation

Bypass or Engage? Explaining Donor Delivery Tactics in Foreign Aid Allocation

Aid Effectiveness in Rwanda: Who Benefits?

Health, Education, Social Protection News & Notes 22/2012

Health, Education, Social Protection News & Notes 22/2012